Calling In To Tumblr With Audio

Article Last Updated: August 5, 2017 by Rob Sutter

The 90’s was an interesting era, to say the least. While technology was not exactly as intuitive as we know it now, there were innovations made that were developed upon. Video games, television, and aspects of that nature were made better during this time and they would only be made better. However, what if I were to tell you that Tumblr was taking a step into the 90’s once again? However, this step entails neither gaming nor TV.

According to TechCrunch, Tumblr currently has a feature that will allow users to submit audio recordings to their blogs through a toll-free number. Basically, all one has to do is dial the specified number and then proceed to record themselves before the recordings in question are sent to their blogs. It’s stunning that this feature is even included, especially when given the fact that just about everyone in social media has a phone which is able to record sound. However, what’s just as stunning is how Tumblr marketed this new addition.

Tumblr put together a video that illustrated this new change and it was one that was reminiscent of the 90’s. With a grainy filter and terms like “oh snap” and “surfin’ the net,” it was clear that the video was going for nothing short of nonsense. If this was the desired goal, I’d say that Tumblr accomplished it and then some. Of course, those outside of the realm of Tumblr may find to be nothing short of an embarrassment for the company. However, keep in mind the kind of audience that the site draws in.

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On average, Tumblr is not going to be utilized for marketing purposes by an online marketing company in the same way that Facebook or Twitter might be. Yes, the possibility is open but the truth of the matter is that Tumblr is, for all intents and purposes, a hobbyist’s site. It’s where memes and sets of .gif images are some of the most liked and “reblogged” pieces of content. While an attempt at advertising a feature like audio would most likely not go over as well on Facebook, on Tumblr it more than fits in with the content already available.

With that said, though, one has to wonder about the long-term success that this feature will have. In my view, it will be an interesting experiment in testing out a new feature but nothing more. The idea of calling a certain phone number for the purpose of audio recording seems archaic and it’s hard to imagine that this will be anything that will set the social media world on fire. This isn’t to say it is worthless feature, though. It’s just not one that will get much use in general.

Do you feel differently on the matter, though, and think that Tumblr has something creative on their hands? Are you of the opinion that this is nothing short of an experiment that will go few places, if any? Please share your thoughts!

Note: This post is a guest post from a member of our DMR Insider Community.